Associate Counsel, Legal London, England
CIBC
Full Time
London, England
87500 - 115000 GBP ANNUAL Today
Job description
We’re building a relationship-oriented bank for the modern world. We need talented, passionate professionals who are dedicated to doing what’s right for our clients.
At CIBC, we embrace your strengths and your ambitions, so you are empowered at work. Our team members have what they need to make a meaningful impact and are truly valued for who they are and what they contribute.
To learn more about CIBC, please visit
CIBC.com
Job Description
STRATEGIC BUSINESS UNIT DESCRIPTION
The Administration Division comprises Legal, Corporate Secretary, the Ombudsman and Privacy and Corporate Development departments. Collectively, this division is responsible for the provision of legal advice across CIBC, provides leadership on governance practices, privacy and reputational risk, and is also a key participant in creating long-term value and directing the development and execution of CIBC’s strategy and strategic planning processes.
Legal is responsible for providing legal support to assist CIBC in meeting its goals and effectively managing legal outcomes, by providing independent legal advice, as well as related transactional, regulatory and litigation support, to business management across all lines of CIBC’s business globally. CIBC Legal has a four part mandate:
a. Advocacy – Representing the institutional interests of CIBC in commercial negotiations, litigation and regulatory proceedings;
b. Informing Business Decisions - Providing timely, judgment-based legal advice that facilitates informed, risk-based decision-making by business management;
c. Governance - Supporting CIBC’s corporate governance, risk management and internal control framework; and
d. Efficiency - Assisting business management in optimizing legal costs.
CIBC’s internal lawyers identify legal risks, provide actionable, solution-oriented advice to mitigate those risks, and work closely with their business partners to achieve favourable legal outcomes.
JOB PURPOSE
This position functions as legal counsel for all CIBC activities in Europe, principally supporting CIBC’s Capital Markets businesses in Europe, as well as CIBC’s London Branch and CIBC Capital Markets (Europe) S.A., CIBC’s licensed credit institution in Luxembourg. The overall purpose of the job is to provide advice regarding legal matters, with the objective of helping business leaders achieve business goals in a manner consistent with sound risk management. Legal counsel negotiates commercial agreements, provides legal advice on transactional, regulatory matters, and provides oversight to external counsel.
KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES
Value Added Partner
- Fulfill commitments embodied in the Legal Department mandate in relation to CIBC’s business teams in Europe.
Transaction and Litigation Support
- Support Head of Legal, Europe and each Counsel, Legal, Europe as needed.
- Provide transaction specific legal advice in relation to corporate and investment grade lending, trade finance facilities, and related intergroup arrangements.
- Provide transaction specific legal advice for mergers and acquisitions advisory mandates.
- Provide transaction specific legal advice in relation to all underwriting agreements for debt capital markets transactions where CIBC acts as lead manager or co-manager.
- Provide legal advice for CIBC onboarding documentation, including terms of business and related documentation.
- Provide transaction specific legal advice for CIBC Capital Markets businesses in Europe for the purposes of: (i) intergroup arrangements; and (ii) for third party account opening or operational arrangements.
- Support the Head of Legal, Europe and each Counsel, Legal, Europe as needed for the purposes of providing legal advice and related governance to support CIBC’s businesses in Europe, including with respect to CIBC’s Capital Markets products, services and distribution channels, and regulatory changes.
- Support the Head of Legal, Europe and each Counsel, Legal, Europe as needed for the purposes of negotiating CIBC’s agreements in Europe, either directly or through external counsel acting under your oversight.
Internal and External Business Development/Client Service
- Monitor legal and regulatory changes in the relevant jurisdictions to assess the impact on relevant lines of business, and identify new business opportunities and/or regulatory risks.
Risk Management
- Identify legal risks, and significant incidents of non-compliance, and escalate these to global Legal team and senior management of Europe, ensuring such risks are properly understood. Where possible, propose appropriate risk mitigation.
Operational/Business Effectiveness
- Ensure that solutions are tailored to meet operational as well as regulatory requirements. Requires ongoing coordination among multiple functional groups and executive management and cross-border deals committees and a solid working knowledge of the financial, operational and technology specifications supporting a product or service. This is particularly important with regard to the firm’s trading and transactional businesses and the bank’s strategic initiatives in the regions.
Product/Services Development and Implementation
- Day to day technical coverage involving statutory, case law and regulatory interpretation and advice; deal/transaction-specific legal support and provision of legal opinions to clients/third parties; contract and new product review.
CROSS-FUNCTIONAL RELATIONSHIPS
- Frequent contact with business and regional management to identify and discuss business issues and needs and to provide consistent and time-sensitive advice.
- Regular contact with industry peers, both individually and through industry associations, to discuss emerging concepts, practices and experiences and to strategize on approaches to proposed regulatory actions.
- Regular contact with local counsel throughout the regions to ensure clear advice, manage costs and keep abreast of legal and regulatory reforms regionally.
COMPLIANCE REQUIREMENTS/RESPONSIBILITIES
- As an employee of CIBC, the incumbent must comply with all applicable CIBC and Line of Business policies, standards, guidelines and controls.
AUTHORITIES/DECISION RIGHTS
- As a key contributor to the business unit, this job has the authority to recommend changes to business processes in order to enhance operational efficiency and effectiveness.
KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS
- Qualified to practice law in England & Wales, Luxembourg or another EU jurisdiction.
- For the purposes of a lawyer qualified to practice law in England & Wales, Bachelor of Laws with not less than 3 years of post-call practice experience.
- For the purposes of a lawyer qualified to practice law in Luxembourg or another EU jurisdiction, a Master’s degree in law with not less than 3 years of post-call experience, experience in Luxembourg preferred.
- Solid technical knowledge of UK or Luxembourg/EU securities and banking laws and regulations.
- Experience in corporate and investment grade lending or acquisition finance required.
- Knowledge of the regulatory framework affecting a London branch of a foreign bank in the UK or a Luxembourg credit institution or willingness to expend the effort and time required to learn same.
- General awareness of legal and regulatory frameworks in other western European countries, sufficient to identify issues and retain appropriately qualified local counsel.
- Problem solving skills sufficient to maximize the solutions available within a given regulatory context.
- Knowledge of CIBC’s global practices, procedures and policies sufficient to interpret and analyze complex concepts and apply in an innovative way to a diverse array of products and services.
- Ability to effectively manage cost constraints and need for cost-effective solutions (e.g., cost control/reduction initiatives such as keeping legal projects in-house; rigorous use of approved law firms with rebated fees).
- Advanced communication skills sufficient to effectively deliver the message within an appropriate legal framework, without sacrificing creativity or subtlety.
- Influential skills sufficient to shape the decision-making process in situations where there may be a natural resistance to the advice.
WORKING CONDITIONS
- This role operates within a normal office environment.
What you need to know
- CIBC is committed to creating an inclusive environment where all team members and clients feel like they belong. We seek applicants with a wide range of abilities and we provide an accessible candidate experience. If you need accommodation, please contact
- You need to be legally eligible to work at the location(s) specified above and, where applicable, must have a valid work or study permit
Job Location
150 Cheapside, London, UK
Employment Type
Regular
Weekly Hours
35
Skills
Analytical Thinking, Governance Risk Compliance (GRC), Risk Mitigation Strategies, Services Development, Taking Initiative, Translations
